Captured
by Merlinlover260
Summary: Arthur glanced over to see his Court Sorcerer battling Hedrick. But he then gasped at the sight of Merlin falling to one knee, the wounds he had been inflicted with taking hold. Merlin was losing.


_In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man, his name, Merlin._

* * *

"We need to run Arthur." Merlin whispered from their hiding place from the bandits.

It had been a simple round trip gone wrong when bandits ambushed them and now they where here, hiding. Merlin was tempted to use magic against the foe, but they where too many of them.

"Merlin, you think you could do something?" Arthur asked with impressing about Merlin's magic.

Arthur had found out about him having magic when Morgana had kidnapped him. "There are too many of them." Merlin whispered.

"Alright, on three we run to the horses." Arthur whispered.

"Three!" Merlin cried and they bolted to their horses.

Arthur heard the bandits cry out in alarm and the clang of a crossbow but Arthur ignored it as he jumped onto his light brown colored horse and sped off toward Camelot. Arthur was unaware, however, that Merlin was not behind him and just had gotten to his own dark colored one, when he cried out in agony as an arrow embedded itself in his calf.

"Arthur!" he cried out to his disappearing king but Arthur was already out of earshot with his horse speeding after the other.

Merlin spun around when he noticed the bandits where circling him. "Well, well, well, look what we have. Camelot's own Court Sorcerer." the head bandit mocked, motioning to his décor.

**Merlin wore a dark blue tunic and trousers. is black cloak with the symbol of the Court Sorcerer, and falcon in gold embroidery stitched on the back against the black background. The only thing that Merlin had that was previously his was his beloved buckled boots.**

Merlin stood and thrust out his hand. "Stay back!" he warned.

"What are you to do? There are too many of us and you are already wounded." the head bandit sneered.

"Let's just see about that." Merlin hissed and his eyes flashed gold. Some of the bandits where thrown back, but they stood strong.

"He's too powerful!" some cried. "Grab him!" the head bandit demanded and Merlin's eyes flashed again in terror and another wave of bandits where wiped down as a bulky bandit pinned Merlin's arms behind his back. The head bandit nodded and Merlin grunted as something hit him hard from behind and then knew nothing.

* * *

With Arthur, he had just gotten to a clearing and stopped when he realized that they had outrun the bandits. "Did you see that Merlin?" Arthur asked, stating how fast he had run.

When Arthur got no answer, he glanced back and his green eyes widened when he saw Merlin's pure black horse trot up to his with the saddle empty. "Merlin?!" Arthur cried, turning his horse around and racing back to where the bandits had attacked them.

Arthur paused before entering, unsheathing his sword, checking if it was clear, and stepped out into the clearing. After an hour of searching, Arthur came up empty, and was about to leave, when droplets of crimson that where stained on the earth caught his eye. Bending onto one knee, Arthur followed the blood trail to a broken arrow shaft in red liquid. Arthur stood and cursed frankly when he grabbed a piece of torn fabric off the bush and realizing that it was a piece of Merlin's cloak. Wrapping it around his wrist, Arthur swung his horse around and galloped toward Camelot. "I'm coming Merlin." he whispered, pushing his horse harder for the help of his most trusted knights.

* * *

In the middle of the bandit's camp chained to a wooden post sat Merlin. Bruised and beaten his head hang low. They had tried to beat the weaknesses of Camelot out of him and he refused, leading to this. Merlin had tried and failed to escape for the chains that bound his raw wrists were etched in runic symbols of old religion, preventing him from using any form of magic. Merlin glanced up slowly to see the head bandit, Hedrick, kneel down by him. Hedrick held out a golden pendant suspended on a leather cord and Merlin flinched away from it. He heard the cry of sorrow from all the sorcerers that encountered it. "Oh, you recognize it?" the bandit asked, bringing it closer and Merlin scrambled back from it.

The golden pendant was feared by many high priestesses and high druids and even the triple goddesses even feared pendant that was in Hedrick's hand. Merlin knew it in druid tongue as Magic Stealer. The pendant sucked the magic from a sorcerer who came in contact with it and for him to touch it would mean death. "You know Magic Stealer?" Hedrick asked him, pulling it back

. "I'm sure you would Emry's, for the magic inside of this tiny stone is the complete opposite of yours. For yours is good and pure, while the magic inside of this little pendant here is the darkest form of magic that you would ever imagine." Hedrick said, standing.

"You would be nice ransom, Camelot's own Court Sorcerer." he sneered.

"Leave Arthur out of it! This is not the way to bring peace to the lands!" Merlin snapped.

"Arthur? Not King Arthur? Or his majesty? Looks like we would get triple the ransom boys! The friend of a king!" Hedrick called to his bandits behind him and then before leaving, he placed the pendant around Merlin's neck that caused him to arch his back in agony as he felt his magic life force rejecting the black magic inside of the pendant. It did not touch his body though, but was left on, and without no way to remove it, it slowly started to drain his magic from him.

All through the night, Merlin's body ached. His head pounded, his leg was already infected, his breathing was hitched, and he knew that he had a broken rib with the frigid air doing nothing to help. Merlin sighed; he hoped that Arthur would get here soon because he would not last if the pendant around his neck were not removed. Snow started to fall and the only thing that Merlin had for warmth was his black cloak, and with his hands chained he had no way to make a fire. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Just as the first rays of dawn peaked over the horizon, Arthur and his knights made their way inside of the bandit's camp with their swords drawn. Arthur signaled his men forward as he spotted the tall post that was in the center of the camp. He rushed forward and kneeled down by it. Arthur could not help but to recoil in shock at the state of his court sorcerer. Merlin's head hung low with the pendant swinging loosely.

Arthur gently lifted his head and tapped his cheek, silently rousing him. Merlin groaned and opened his dark cerulean eyes slowly. "Arthur?" he asked, his eyes unfocused and glazed over in fever. "It's alright Merlin, were here." Arthur whispered and nodded toward his knights who cut the bonds off Merlin's hands and Arthur caught him as he fell forward with weakness taking over his body.

"Let me take him." Percival said and bent down before gathering Merlin in his strong arms.

Arthur nodded and they where about to leave, when they where suddenly surrounded by bandits. They all unsheathed their swords and formed a tight circle around Percival, who was clutching Merlin protectively. Arthur pointed his sword at Hedrick and he did the same, ready to duel, when all of the sudden, they heard a familiar voice from behind them.

"Stop!" Merlin cried, out of Percival's arms. Arthur lowered his sword for a split second but Hedrick ignored him and swung his sword at Arthur, and soon the knights where batting bandits. "Gwaine! Get Merlin out of here!" Arthur called to his drunken knight and he nodded before grabbing Merlin's wrist and rushing out of the clearing.

When they got to the edge of the clearing, however, Merlin stumbled and fell. "I'm fine! Go help Arthur!" he called out to Gwaine who nodded and rushed into the fight. Sitting on his knees, Merlin felt his strength being sapped from him and almost collapsed to the ground on his side when he heard a voice from behind him. "Well, looks like we have a fallen birdie." Hedrick said.

Merlin rose slowly on his trembling knees and started to proceed forward but then fell to one knee when he felt Magic Stealer eating his magic.

"The mighty Emry's is destroyed by my hand." Hedrick mocked and thrust out his hand. _"Acrise!"_ Hedrick bellowed in old religion and his eyes flashed molten gold.

Merlin conjured a shield and the powerful wave of magic rushed over him, but with Magic Stealer swinging around his neck, he felt it weaken him and felt the blue bubble of protection crack and start to shatter.

From across the clearing, Arthur glanced over to the edge of it and his eyes widened when he noticed that the already weakened Merlin was battling Hedrick, and Merlin's wounds were taking hold of him as he dropped to both knees and the wave of energy rushed over him.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried and raced toward them. "My my, looks like your king is coming to die." Hedrick grinned. This caused Merlin to snap his eyes open. "You will not harm Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed and there was a explosion of magic. All three men where thrown backward and Arthur hit the ground harshly before he knew no more.

* * *

It was the afternoon before Arthur came to. He sat up clutching his head. "What happened?" he asked, but then suddenly remembered. "Merlin." Arthur whispered, glancing around to see his knights had just woken but there was no sign of Merlin.

Arthur stood before rushing toward were he had last seen his friend and ran harder when he saw a familiar raven mop out of the waving grass. He knelt down by Merlin and gathered the warlock in his lap before gently lifting his head.

"Merlin?" he whispered, gently shaking him. When he got no answer, he shook harder and yelled his name, encouraging him to wake up but nothing helped. Arthur shook him again and he noticed Magic Stealer was still around Merlin's neck. He napped it off of his friends neck, cursing foully before flinging it with all his might where it shattered on a rock a couple feet away.

Arthur embraced the still form of his friend, hot tears streaming down his cheeks and blaming himself for what happened. A sudden flash of brilliant light made Arthur glace up. He stared in awe as golden wisps of magic seeped forth from the shattered remains of Magic Stealer, morphing into a shimmering form of Merlin before setting the copy of his friend on the ground. Arthur glanced down at his still friend and then at the same stillness of the silhouette on the ground before placing Merlin onto a rock that supported his back and walking toward the form. Arthur knelt down by the golden hue and lifted him bridal style before heading back to Merlin. He placed the form by Merlin and was shocked as it disappeared inside of his friend and then Merlin gasped deeply before opening his eyes slowly. "Arthur?" he asked. "Merlin!" Arthur cried.


End file.
